Obama got his second term last night and I couldn’t be more pleased. I don’t have to leave the country now.

I was scared for a while there last night, but sanity prevailed! AND Minnesota defeated the constitutional amendment making marriage possible only between a man and woman. YES! Now let’s get marriage equality on the table and pass that sucker!

Still catching up on it all, but that’s the big news. Here’s a couple of pics to brighten what for me is another dreary gray day. Winter in MN sucks so far. Very little sun.

This was taken in late fall when most of the leaves were off the trees, but ain’t it pretty? The grass is still green and the water in the river, though low, is clear and reflects a gorgeous blue sky.

The following shot was taken at a scenic overlook; I was going up north to visit a friend here from Florida (he’s returned now, and one day soon, AJ and I are going to visit him down there. In February!) and pulled over. Suki sniffed the grass while I took pictures.

This is the St Croix river, in full fall foliage. Beautiful! I have other pictures that show more of the river but I love how this one is framed. I’m standing on the MN side; we’re looking at WI. Both states have passed laws requiring special permission to cut down trees along the river. When I’m able to enjoy scenery like this, I understand why.

I didn’t see this post until now. Our progress on the social issues–the passage of the marriage equality initiatives and the defeat of such goons as Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock–is what made the 2012 election so wonderful. I was thrilled by President Obama’s election in 2008 (I didn’t get out of bed for a week in 2004!), but it is also when California’s Prop 8 passed, a sad undercurrent to an otherwise exciting time.

I’m optimistic. Federal courts have been striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, which the Justice Department refuses to defend, and now the law is poised to go before the US Supreme Court at some point during the current term (Justice Ginsburg said so publicly). I’m not sure what the Supremes will do, but if Chief Justice Roberts’ majority opinion upholding most of President Obama’s Affordable Care Act is any indication, he seems to want to be on the right side of history. Future generations will look back on DOMA and discriminatory state marriage laws with embarrassment and dismay. I’m sure of it.